Palmetto cutting and root exterminating machine



L. E. RENO 2,234,534

PALMETTO CUTTING AND ROOT EXTERMINATING MACHINE Maw. 11, 1941.

Filed Nov. 27, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 l INVENTOR- ATTORNEYS March 11, 1941. L. E. RENO PALME'ITO CUTTING AND ROOT EXTERMINATING MACHINE FiledNov. 27, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Lave/192571207; 0,

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS March 11, 1941. 1.. E. RENO 2,234,534

PALMET'IO CUTTING AND ROOT EXTERMINATING MACHINE Filed NOV. 27, 1939 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Willlllll 1.7% V IN VENTORr ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 11,1941 UNITED STATES PALMETTO GUTTIN G AND ROOT EXTERMIINATIN G llIACHINELavere E. Reno, Sarasota, Fla. Application November 27, 1939, Serial No.306,356

9 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for the cutting of low growth, abovesurface vegetation and stubble and also for below surface rootextermination, and, without limitation thereto, has more particularly todo with the extermination of wild growth palmetto and the like in thepreparation of land for agricultural cultivation, grazing, reforestationand other purposes.

The principal object of the invention is to produce a practical andhighly efiicient machine for effectively severing stubble, low growthpal- -metto, and other wild vegetation above the surface of the groundand, in connection with such severing action, digging into the theground with root lifting and extracting effect.

A particular object is to incorporate the cutting and extractingelements of the machine'in a unitary motor-driven vehicle or tractor anddriving the respective cutting and extracting elements under the powerof a common motor unit and arranging the cutting elements so as toconstitute a part of the propulsion means of the tractor.

A further object is to provide practical means of adjustment andcompensation in the correlated working parts to accommodate the machineto different soil conditions and the particular vegetation to beexterminated.

With the foregoing and other objects andadvantages to be attained aswill hereinafter more fully, appear, the invention consists in the novelgeneral structure and in the particular parts and combinations andarrangements of parts thereof as hereinafter described and set forth inthe appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsillustrating a practical adaptation of the invention, in which- Figure 1is a right side elevation of themachine;

Figure 2 is a top plan view;

Figure 3 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken on or aboutthe line 33 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical cross section 45 taken on or about theline 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral I designates the main body orunderframe of the 5 machine, the longitudinal side members of which arepreferably of I-beam section, said frame side members being providednear the front end of the machine with a pair of rigid supporting blocks2 having transverse cores and rearwardly therefrom with a second pair orsimilar blocks 3. SuppOrtedly fitted at its opposite 55 end portions inthe bores of the blocks 2 and keyed to prevent it from rotating thereinis an axle shaft 4, and a similar shaft 5- is likewise supported in theblocksv 3.

Mounted freely rotatable on the axle shaft 4, between the outerlongitudinal members of the.- 5 main body or underframe l and providedwith antifriction bearings 6 within their opposite ends and with an endthrust collar 1 located therebetween on the middle portion of the shaft,I is a pair of cylindrical drums 8, said drums being -"'10 provided withfiller openings in the peripheral wall thereof, as shown, or at anyother desirable location, and normally closed by removable plugs 9whereby the drums may be filled-with water, sand or other loose andflowable materiali'l5 to increase the Weight of the drums for a purposeto be hereinafter more fully described. A pair of similar'drums ID aremounted rotatably on the axle shaft 5, it being understood that saiddrums 8 and H] are each provided with a core: tube 9 either formedintegrally with the-bearing hub portions thereof as shown in Figure 4 orobviously otherwise formed and provided for making the drums leaktight.

The drums 8 and Ill constitute tractionrollers; for the machine as wellas functioning as cutting elements, for which latter purpose the drumsare provided with circumferential blades II which extend in a generalradial direction but in a spiral arrangement from endto endof the drums,the blades H of the two drums-8 and If! at one side of the longitudinalaxis of the body frame I being in an order the reverse of those on thecompanion drums at the opposite side of the frame; this arrangementbeing made to avoid any tendency of the machine to shift laterally andto insure substantially straight lineal normal tracking of themachineduring the propulsion thereof. During the travel of the machinethese spiral blades have a shearing- 40 effect upon the stubble,palmetto or other growth above surface and they also, under the com- 1bined weight of the filled drums themselves and the body frame andelements carried thereon, dig into the soil so as to out the roots andat the same time havingan extractor effect, which latter effect isaugmented and more fully carried out by special supplemental extractormeans to belater more fully described.

The respective drums 8 and II] are spaced at their outer endsfrom theadjacent longitudinal members of the main body or underframe 'l, thespacing being to accommodate sprocket gears l2 which are fixed on theouter end'hub portions of the drums. The two sprocket gears l2 at.

each side of the machine are connected by an endless chain l3 to asmaller gear l4 provided therefor on the adjacent end portion of aconventional differential jackshaft l5, which latter (not shown indetail) obviously comprises two separate longitudinally alined sectionsand is mounted in an ordinary housing l6 and supported at its oppositeends on upstanding bracket frames or standards l'l located on theadjacent longitudinal side members of the main body or underframe nearthe rear ends thereof, the gears |4 being located between said standardsl1 and the adjacent end portions of the housing l6 of the jackshaft l5.

The middle portion of the jackshaft housing I8 is enlarged in the' usualmanner, as at l8, to accommodate the differential driving gear (notshown) to which the inner ends of the jackshaft sections arerespectively keyed; the differential gear being connected by a regularpropeller shaft 19 through a'regular transmission mechanism, notspecifically illustrated but merely indicated conventionally, as at 20,'to the crank or other driving shaft of any regular internal combustionenginein any suitably arranged unit not shown in detail but-merelyindicated conventionally,

'as at 2|, each and all of said conventionally in- .dicated parts beingof any obvious and well known construction and arrangement and inthemselves forming. no'part of the present invention except in thegeneral provision thereof as hereinafter described and set forth in theappended claims. Also, suffice it to say that the transmission mechanism20 is provided with the usual controlling lever 22.

- c It is 'here noted that in the general frame structure of the machinean upper platform 23 is' mounted on supporting columns 24 which arelocated at suitable intervals ,on transverse frame members 25; one ofwhich latter is'located at the front end of the main body or underframel and the other midway 1 between the pairs of drums 8 and ID. Theportion of the platform 23 rearward from the motor unit 2| is steppeddownwardly, as at '28, said portion 26 being supported at its rear endon columns24' located on the rearmost cross: framemember 25. Journ'aledin'supporting bearings 21 provided on the platform portion 26, is acountershaft 28 having a sprocket gear 29 thereon which is connected bya chain 38 to a driving gear 3| provided therefor on the propeller shaftl9, whereby said countershaft 28 is driven by and simultaneously withsaid propeller shaft IS. The countershaft 28 is provided at its outerend with a conventional universal joint 32, from which latter astubshaft member 33 of square or other polygonal cross section extends,this latter member being provided for; a combined longitudinallyslidable and swingable' driving connection to be presently more fullydescribed.

Extending rearwardly from the inner end portions of the longitudinalside members of the main body or underframe I are bracketmembers 34which pivotally support, as at 35, a trailer frame 36, which lattercomprises longitudinal side members which are'preferably of the sameI-beam form as'the' corresponding members of the main supporting columns38 are provided for a platform body or underframe I, said trailer framehaving a transverse rear end member 31, on which latter 39 which isnormallyalined substantially in the same horizontal plane as thedepressed platform portion 26 of the main body frame I of the machine,there being provided a suitable flexible extensions 43 of the tongues 4|and 42 are providediwith registered screw-threaded openings in which anexternally screw-threaded sleeve member 44 is received, said sleevemember 44 being fitted to rotate on a round shank portion 45 extendingupwardly from a yoke 46 in which is journaled a casterlike steeringwheel or roller element 41, which latter rides on the ground and'supportsthe rearportion of the trailer frame 36.

Keyed or otherwise fixed on the lowerlportion of the shank 45, so as torotate therewith, is a circumferentially grooved circular disk 48,against the top of the hub portion of which said externallyscrew-threaded member 44 abuts with an interposed antifriction hearingas indicated at 48 ,and shown more clearly in Figure 3 of the drawings;The upper end of the sleeve member 44 abuts an end thrust collar 58which is fixed on;the upper end portion of the shank 45 by a setscrew 5|or other suitable fastening means. Bythis provision the sleeve member 44is held against endwise movement on the shank 45 but is free to rotatethereon, its rotation being effected by'means of a hand wheel 52 keyedor otherwise secured on-the upper end portion of said sleeve member 44.Thus, with the casterlike wheel or roller 41 in engagement with theground the turning of the sleeve member 44 on r the shank 45 effects theraising and lowering of the trailer frame 36 about the axis of itspivotal support 35 due to the screw-threaded engagement ofthe-overlapped tongue extension 43 with said externally screw-threadedsleeve:

- connection- 53, such as a cable, chain or the like,

between the circumferentially grooved disk 48 and a driving pulley 54provided on the lower portion of a steering column 55 mounted on therear transverse member 25' of the main body or underframe and havingv ahand wheel 55 at its upper end. The belted cable or chain 53 is entwinedabout the disk 48 and pulley 54 in any suitable manner to secure apositive driving connection between said disk and pulley and thesteering of the traveling machine is readily effected by manipulation ofthe hand wheel 56 by the operator to turn the casterlike wheel or roller41 in a direction either right or left, at'will. In this connection itis here pointed out that due to the mountingof the drums 8 and I0separately on the shafts 4 and 5 so as to rotate independently of eachother, except as the front and rear drums at each side of the machineare due to the differential driving gear'of said shaft sections, theturning of the entire machine within a short radius is easilyaccomplished.

The longitudinal side members of the'trailer frame 36 are provided ontheir under sides with supplemental channel or I-section members 51which are riveted, welded or otherwise secured thereto. Each of thesupplemental'f'rame members 51 is provided with a supporting block 58,said blocks 58 carrying the ends of a non-rotatable shaft 59 on which isrotatably mounted a pair of longitudinally alined cylindrical tubularcore sections 68 of a special extractor element which cooperativelyfollows the drums 8 and ill in the operation of the machine.

As shown, the extractor element comprises a plurality of circumferentialspike members H which are arranged in staggered relation to each otherand spirally about each core section 60,

said spikes being tangentially disposed rather than directly radial fromthe circumference of the core and being preferably curved and sharpenedat their outer ends and extended in a -direction forward of theirleading sides and their leading sides being preferably beveled toprovide a cutting edge substantially the entire length thereof. By thisform and arrangement of the spike elements 6| said elements dig readilyinto the ground when moved rotatably under power as will presently morefully appear, and move in a circular path rearwardly with respect to theline of travel of the machine and upwardly from the soil with a hookedlifting effect which readily brings the severed roots to and above thesurface of the ground. In this connection, it is here also noted thatthe spiral blades H of the respective drums 8 and I0 are also preferablycurved forwardly of their leading sides, as at l l, which form andarrangement adds materially to the cutting and soil penetrating anddigging effect of said blades l I.

For driving the special extractor element, its core sections 88 arerespectively provided at their outer ends, near the supporting blocks 58with sprocket gears 62 which are connected by chains 63 to driving gears64 provided on the outer end portions of a jackshaft 65 which issupported at the upper ends of upstanding bracket frames or standards 68mounted on the longitudinal side members of the trailer frame 38. Thisjackshaft 65, which is similar to the hereinbefore described jackshai't[5 by which the drums 8 and I8 are driven, is provided with aconventional housing 61 formed at its middle with an enlargement 68which houses a conventional differential or other suitable driving gear(not shown) to which the shaft sections are keyed, said driving gearbeing obviously provided with a stubshaft 89 which is connected by aconventional universal joint 18 to a counterpart socketed stub extensionH which receives with longitudinally slidable but rotatably interlockedeffect the hereinbefore described stubshaft member 33 which is connectedby the universal joint 32 to the countershaft 28. By this provision, thejackshaft 85 is driven by, the countershaft 28 in whatever verticallyadjusted position the trailer frame 38 may be, and the special extractorunit being accordingly driven positively with a digging effect to apredetermined depth in the soil for which the necessary adjustment hasbeen made by manipulation of the hand wheel 52 on the adjusting sleevemember 44 on the shank portion 45 of the yoke 46 in which the casterlikesteering wheel or roller 41 is mounted.

The provision of the two separate toothed rotors of the trailingextractor rotatable independently of each other on the supporting shaft59, with the chain and sprocket connection 63 between said rotors andthe respective sections of the, diiferentially geared jackshaft 85, alsofacilitates the steering of the. machine and the easy turning thereof asdoes the similar mounting and driving provision for the drums 8 and II]as hereinbefore stated.

Whilev the power driven rotary extractor ele- 'ment with the arrangementof fingers or spike members 6| as hereinabove described is alonepractically effective in its digging and root lifting action, it ispreferable to provide in correlation to said elements a series ofspaced, forwardly projected, pointed, bladelike fingers or strippermembers 12 between which the respective fingers or spike members 8| passin their travel upwardly from the ground, the effect being to furthersever or break up into smaller pieces the roots which are extracted fromthe soil and brought up against the under edge portions of saidbladelike fingers. or stripper members 12 by the beveled leading edgeportions of said fingers or spike members 6 l.

A machine of the character herein described is highly efiicientparticularly in the extermination of wild low growth palmetto orvegetation of like character which is more or less to-ughin character,because of the peculiar spirally arranged blade members II on the drums8 and I0 and the provision for variably weighting the drums by theplacing of water, sand or other fiowable material therein and themachine being capable of further weighting by the placing of separateweight elements on the upper platform portions 23 and 26 above thedrums. It is here also noted that it is preferablev to provide the drumswith annular cutting blades 13, spaced apart and in any desirable numberthereof. In the illustrated structure, each drum 8 and I8 is providedwith a pair of these blades 13. In some cases, however, these annularblades I3 may be eliminated although it is preferable to provide them asshown to have a cutting effect in addition to the spirally arrangedblades II.-

The propulsion of the machine through the means for positively drivingthe drums 8 and I0 is obviously controlled by the transmission controllever 22, and, by the sprocket and chain connection between thepropeller shaft l8 and countershaft 28, the operation of the specialextractor elements 60 following the drums 8 and I8 is alsosimultaneously accomplished. Obviously, forpractical purposes, althoughin itself not an essential part of the present invention, special clutchmeans (not shown) may be provided whereby the driving chains I3, 30 and63' may be rendered inactive, at will, whereby the propeller shaft !9may rotate, if desired, withoutactuating either the drums 8 and Ill-orthe special extractor elements 60, or the drums may be operated whilethe extractor elements remain idle and vice versa.

While the machineis designed more particularly for the extermination ofpalmetto it is obvious that it is also adaptable for-cutting andexterminating the stubble of .corn and sugar cane and other stubble inthe preparation of soil for agricultural cultivation, grazing or.reforestation purposes. It is also obvious that while the machineillustrated in the accompanying drawings embodies a practical adaptationof the present invention, considerable modification and alteration maybe made therein; without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined by the appended claims. The

rinvention, T therefore,' is-., not limited .to the specificconstruction and arrangement shown.

. ..What is claimed is:

v.1. In a cutting and root exterminating machine Ofthecharacterdescribed, a tractor having a driving motor unit thereon, said machinebeing tractively supported on drums having spirally arrangedcircumferential cutting-and-digging blades, and a trailing,verticallyadjustable, ro- "tary. extractor element having a plurality ofcircumferential soil-entering spike members'to engageand extract rootsfrom the 'soil over which vsaiddrums have passed. v

2 ."In a cutting and root exterminating machine of the characterdescribed, a tractor having, a driving motor unit thereon, said machinebeing: tractively supported on drums having .spirally: arrangedcircumferential cutting and digging'blades, and a trailing, verticallyadjustable", rotary extractor element'having a plurality ofcircumferential soil-'entering spike members to engage and extract rootsfromthe soil over which said drums have passed, the cutting edgeportions of the circumferential blades of said drums being turned aheadof the leading sides of :the blades and the spikemembers of "saidtrailing extractor also having their outer end portions turned inadvance of their leading sides. "3.1In a cutting and root exterminatingmachine of the character described, a tractor having a driving motorunit thereon, said machine being 'tractively supported on drums havingspirally arranged" circumferential cutting and digging 'blades, andatr'ailing, vertically adjustable, rotary extractor element having-aplurality'of circumferential soil-entering spike members to engage andextract roots from the soil over which said drums'have passed, the spikemembers of said trailing extractor being arranged spirally about thecore of the extractor and having their outer end portionssharpened andturned forwardly of theirleadi'ng sides.

4. In a cutting and root exterminating machine of the characterdescribed, a tractor having a driving motor unit thereon, said machinebeing tractively supported ondrums having spirally arrangedcircumferential cutting and digging blades, and a trailing, verticallyadjustable, rotary extractor element having a plurality ofcircumferential soil-entering spike members to engage and extract rootsfrom the soil over which said drums have passed, the spike members ofsaid trailing extractor being arranged spirally about the core of theextractor and extended tangentially therefrom with their outer endportions sharpened and turned forwardly of their leading sides.

5. In a palmetto cutting and root exterminating machine, a tractorhaving a drivingmotor unitthereon, said tractor being. tractivelysupported by axially alined paired drums extending transversely of themachine approximately the full width thereof, spirally arrangedcircumferential cutting and digging blades provided reversely on saiddrums, a differential driving connection between said drums and saidmotor unit, a trailing rotary extractor element having circumferentialdigging and root extracting spike members with a working rangetransversely of the machine substantially equal to that of the paireddrums, a driving connection between said extracting element and saidmotor unit, and means for vertically adjusting said extractor ele- .mentwhereby to regulatethe eifective working entrance of said spike membersin the soil.

76'. a :cutting. and .root' extracting machine =for'exterminatingpalmetto and the like, a tractorincludingv a main body frame, drumsconstitutingtractive supports for said frame, said vdrums havingspirally. arranged circumferential 5 cutting. and digging blades, atrailer frame hingedly mounted on the rear portion of said main "bodyframe, a steering wheel havingprovision for adjustably supporting therear portion of saidtrailer frame, a rotary extractor elementmounted onsaidtrailer frame and having spirally arranged digging and rootextracting spike members thereon, a driving'motor unit supported on saidmain body frame above said drums, a driving connection between saiddrums-: and said motor unit, a driving connection between said motorunit and said extractor, and means onsaid'body frame for manipulatingsaid steering wheel for controlling the direction of travel of themachine. a

7. In a cutting and root extracting machine for exterminating palmettoand the like, a tractor including a main body frame, drums co'nstitutingtractive supports for said frame, said drums having spirally arrangedcircumferentialzj'25 cutting and digging blades, a trailer framehingedly mounted on the rear portion of said main body frame, a steeringwheel having provision for adjustably supporting the rear portion ofsaid trailer frame, a rotary extractor elementti". mounted on saidtrailer frame and having spirally arranged digging and root extractingspike members thereon, a driving motor unit supported on said main bodyframe above said drums, a driving connection between said drums and saidmo- 5 tor unit, a driving connection between said m0- tor unit and saidextractor, forwardly extending, 'platelike, spaced stripper and breakerfingers on the underside of the rear portion of said trailer framebetween which the spike members of saidoiO 'extractor element pass intheir upward movement from the soil, and means on said body frame formanipulating said steering wheel for controlling the direction of travelof the machine.

8. In a machine of the character described,; a 'tractor'including a mainbody frame, front -and'rear p'airs'of drums tractively supporting saidmain body frame, said drums having spirally arranged circumferentialcutting and digging blades thereon, the blades of the two drums at! oneside of the longitudinal axis of the machine being reversely arrangedwith respect to those of the companion drums at the opposite side of thelongitudinal axis of the machine, said machine having a platformsupported above its main body, frame, a driving motor unit located 'onthe forward portion of said platform, a transmission-- controlledpropeller shaft extending rearwardly from said motor unit, a jackshaftsupported on said main body frame above the rear portion thereofandhaving a driving connection with said propeller shaftjdrivingconnections between said jackshaft and said drums, a countershaft onsaid" platform having a driving connection with said propeller shaft,said countershaft extendingin substantial parallel relation to saidpropeller shaft, a stubshaft having a universal driving connection withthe rear end of said countershaft, a trailer frame hingedly attached atits forward end to the rear end portion of said main body frame, amedial tongue extension at the rear end of said trailer frame, asteering wheel havingan upstanding shank portion, an externallyscrew-threaded sleeve on said shank portion having a working engagementwith said tongue extension of the trailer frame whereby the latter issupported with vertical adjustment on the steering wheel, means on saidmain body frame having a driving connection with the shank portion ofsaid steering wheel whereby to control the direction of travel of themachine, at will, a rotary extractor element mounted on said trailerframe and having circumferential digging and root extracting spikemembers, forwardly extending spaced stripper and breaker fingers on theunderside of the rear portion of said trailer frame, between which thespike members of the extractor element pass in their upward movementfrom the soil, a jackshaft supported on said trailer frame above saidextractor element, a driving connection between said last namedjackshaft and said extractor element, and a driving connection betweensaid last named jackshaft and said count-ershaft on the platform of saidmain body frame, said driving connection including a driving stubshaftoperably connected to said last named jackshaft and having a universalconnection with a second driving stubshaft, the latter beinglongitudinally slidable but rotatably interlocked with the stubshaftwhich is universally connected to said countershaft.

9. The herein described above surface growth cutting and rootexterminating machine, comprising a tractor including a main body framesupported on transverse paired traction drums each provided withcircumferential cutting and digging blades, said drums beingrespectively mounted in axial alinement on opposite sides of thelongitudinal axis of the main body frame with rotation independently ofeach other, a motor driven difierential jackshaft on said main 1 bodyframe having separate driving connections with the respective pairedtraction drums, a trailer frame connected to said main body frame andhaving a supporting and steering ground Wheel, connectedly operablemeans on said main 1 body frame for controlling and operating saidsupporting and steering ground wheel of the trailer frame, independentlyturnable paired rotary root extractor elements mounted in axialalinement on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said trailerframe, and a motor-driven differential jackshaft on said trailer framehaving separate driving connections with said paired rotary rootextractor elements.

LAVERE E. RENO.

